Media Influence on Body Image Essay Example for Free

Media Influence on Body Image Essay So many people today are insecure about the way they look, either thinking themselves too fat, or having bad hair, skin, or simply just not attractive enough. Of course, much of this line of thinking is encouraged by the barrage of advertisements which portray skinny women and muscular men with perfect skin and hair traipsing around in exotic spots and driving the opposite sex crazy. More than any other outlet, the media is guilty of creating a misperception of what beauty really is and the anxieties and problems in society are exacerbated by their efforts. Celebrities make regular people feel that they need to spend a ridiculous amount of money and time on external appearance, as infomercials for beauty creams, workout regimens and equipment, foods and drinks, diets and countless other means of body modification are continuously hocked as ways to achieve happiness and contentment. Very few outlets in the media, whether television, movies, magazines, or the Internet encourage people to be comfortable with their bodies, even though reason dictates that true beauty is not something that relies completely on external appeal, but rather beauty is something that comes from within and can be shared with others. Beauty is everywhere. It can be in a sunset, a work of art, or in a masterpiece of architecture. There is manmade beauty and natural beauty, and both have unique appeals that inspire people to feel good about themselves and life. However, when it comes to human beauty, we are educated from the earliest ages that it is almost completely physical. The media portrays this in the form of men and women with perfectly sculpted bodies without an ounce of fat, lustrous and clear skin, soft, flowing hair, and a perfectly symmetrical face. The images of beautiful celebrities and fashion models stare at us from magazines in the checkout line at the grocery store. It seems everywhere that the media is telling people what beauty really is, and the effect is severe insecurities in the masses. This leads to pills, creams, hair restoration, breast implants, plastic surgery, and all kinds of other drastic actions in the hopes of attaining beauty. The inundation of media images of unnaturally thin women also has a significantly negative effect on young girls. Professor of psychology and body-image researcher, Sarah Murnen, and her colleagues reviewed 21 studies that looked at the media’s effect on more than 6,000 girls, ages 10 and older, and found those who were exposed to the most fashion magazines were more likely to suffer from poor body images (Hellmich). This can also lead the young girls to adopt unhealthy eating habits such as bulimia and anorexia in hopes to maintain what they feel as the ideal â€Å"beautiful† body. However, some companies are making an effort to dispel this, like Dove. Instead of images of long locks, longer legs and incredibly lean bodies, Dove brand beauty products and American Girl are promoting their products with a message of â€Å"real beauty† by encouraging women and girls to celebrate themselves as they are — while using the products, of course (Howard). While they are encouraging women to pursue a greater beauty than physical, they are still sending the contradictory message that young women need to use their products. However, the true definition of beauty is something that goes far deeper than these profit-driven interpretations espoused by the media. It is impossible to deny that certain men and women are not beautiful, for a perfect face and body attracts many people from all around, however like the old adage that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, everyone else may not universally agree upon the external and physical beauty of these people. Some people make think blonds are beautiful, while others prefer brunettes; some people may like blue eyes, while others only find brown beautiful. This shows the subjective nature of external beauty, which begs the question as to whether this beauty is significant at all or merely a matter of taste. To that end, it is far more productive to pursue a greater beauty in life, and not worry about physical beauty or achieving it. I believe the greatest beauty in life comes from within; and this kind of beauty can be achieved by everyone without pills, painful operations, or costly beauty treatments. I have learned not to put too much stock in the media’s representation of beauty, because I feel it robs from the more significant beauty that can be achieved in society when people think of each other and treat each other with equal respect and consideration. I do my best to live by the golden rule, and find situations the most beautiful when others do the same. I feel that many of the popular conceptions of beauty are based on half-truths and blatant deceptions, encouraging people to hide their flaws rather than love themselves. For me, honesty is beautiful, and I am always honest, unlike the advertisers that have something to gain by creating untruths and anxiety. Life is beautiful enough without having to worry about perfecting physical attributes, and the truth is that aesthetic beauty is not nearly as lasting as emotional, spiritual, and mental beauty. These are the kinds of beauty to which I aspire and have successfully managed to cultivate. I consider myself beautiful because I am generous to others, and see myself reflected in their appreciating eyes. I love to share my time and effort with others, and do so sincerely with no expectations for recognition or reciprocity. The reward for me is simply being alive to share what I have, and I find life itself beautiful. I try my best not to get caught up in the conventional definitions of conventional beauty, because they would expect me to devote my time to working on my physical attributes rather than my spiritual and mental beauty. I know my actions make me beautiful, because when I help others I also recall all the times that others have helped me and I realize that this is one of the most beautiful things that humans can achieve, as powerful as the most perfect sunset or double rainbow. While beauty may truly be in the eye of the beholder, I feel confident in my own beauty because I treat everything in life as it is: beautiful. I find joy in everything, am compassionate, and try to make everyone share in the beauty that I possess, hoping that they can also create his or her own. I try to be truthful in all regards, and try never to feel insecure that my beliefs in my own beauty are false. I refuse to adopt the media’s perception of beauty, and prefer to find my own conceptions in what I see is true beauty: generosity, compassion, and joy. For me, this is the truth, and like the words of John Keats, â€Å"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all/ Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know† (Keats). Works Cited: Hellmich, Nanci. â€Å"Do thin models warp girls’ body image?† USA Today. 26 Sep 2006. 29 Apr 2008. http://www. usatoday. com/news/health/2006-09-25-thin-models_x. htm. Howard, Theresa. â€Å"Ad campaign tell women to celebrate who they are. † USA Today/Dove. 8 Jul 2005. 12 Apr 2008. http://www. campaignforrealbeauty. com/press. asp? section=newsid=3073. Keats, John. â€Å"Ode to a Grecian Urn. † The Oxford Book of English Verse. 1901. Ed. Quiller- Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir. Bartleby. com. 1999. 12 Apr 2008. www. bartleby. com/ 101/625.